Incidence of cognitive dysfunction in geriatric rehabilitation

Increasingly complex disease patterns, limited in hospital time, demographic changes as well as the development of demential illnesses all entail structural changes in the rehabilitation establishments. In 100 patients admitted consecutively to the geriatric rehabilitation in Wuppertal both social and medical factors were recorded - including identification of cognitive dysfunctions. In 64% the assessment parameters included cognitive deficiencies to the point of demential conditions. Taking all therapeutical options found in common therapy strategies into account, the patients were given multimodal geriatric therapy to which they responded well. Only 3% of the examined were too cognitively limited to receive further out-patient treatment. These and other results clearly indicate that in addition to the existing co-morbidity within the geriatric rehabilitation, cognitive deficiencies are becoming particularly important be taken into consideration.